Handle for vacuum cleaners



Nov. 26, 1935. G w. ALLEN El AL HANDLE FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed June 6, 191 52 v Patented Now-26, 1935 HANDLE ron vacuum enemas George W. Allen, Hyde Park, and Lloyd B. Salt,

Chestnut Hill, Masa,

assignors to B. F. Sturtcvant Company, Hyde Park, Mass, a corporation oi Massachusetts sentences tens s, 1e32, semi No. states 9 @iahns.

The present invention relates to handles for a vacuum cleaners and the like and more particulariy to end closures for the same.

The handles oi vacuum cleaners and the like a are coonly constructed from metal tubes, circular in cross-section, with the upper end adjacent the hand of the operator closed by a head or plug. When a plug' composed of rubber is used, as is desirable in order to avoid the possibility of the marring of the furniture or interior oi the house by accidental contact thereth, and the end of the handle is of circular cross-section, no dimculty is experienced in inserting the plug in the end of the handle or in securing it in'place. With the external diameter of the proper dimension relative to the in-v ternal diameter of the handle, the plug may be po-. sitioned in the handle by a torsional or twisting movement of the plug, which results in a reduc- 20' tion in the eflective diameter of the plug sufficient to z: it to be inserted the proper dlstance in the handle. Upon releasing the plug, it tends to assume its originaldimensions with the result that it expands against and grips the inner wall of the handle. Sometimes'cement or shellac is applied to the interior of the handle or exterior of the plug before assembling in order to secure more permanently the parts together. While tubular handles of circular cross-section may be satisfactorily closed by such plugs and in such a manner, when the handle end is of elliptical cross-section, which design is now becoming popular, diculty is found in assembling and securing the plugs in place, for, owing to their-ellipdie with the torsional or twisting movement above described.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an end closure for the grip portion of tubulair handles which is comfortable to the hand; which is resilient to prevent the marring of the furniture by accidental contact therewith; which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture; and which may be easily assembled in spective of whether the handle be circular or .elliptical or of other cross-sectional shape.

a construction of handle and end closure wherein the closure or plug is of a shape or design cor- 55 oi the handle, means being provided for theretical shape, they cannot be forced into the hanthe die and securely held in piositiomirre- To these ends, the present invention comprises after expanding the plug within the handle to secure it in place. v

In the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of a vacuum cleaner handle assembly, showing the end closure in position; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a. similar transverse section on line- 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the end closure detached; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the end upright portion it of the tube is circular in section, as indicated by Fig. 3. The grip portion is slightly tapered, so that it merges with the upright portion at the junction thereof and enlarges in cross-section toward the end. 4

The end closure or plug it, shown in detail in Fig. 4, is molded or formed of some resilient material, preferably of yielding rubber. The shank portion it is elliptical in section, as shown in Fig. 2, and is proportioned so as to fit easily into the end oi the tubular handle. The head it is semi-ellipsoidal, and forms a. shoulder 2a which butts against the end of the tube, as shown in Fig. 6. v

The end closure is molded with a threaded compress'or member 22, which preferably comprises a carriage bolt, embedded in the plug portion it. The head and threads of the bolt serve to bond it securely to the rubber. The bond is not formed, however, along the full length of the bolt, a recess 2% being left around the lowermost portion oi 40 the bolt in order to provide an end section freefrom the rubber to facilitate the movement of the nut thereover. The bolt is provided at its free end with a wmher 26 and nut 28;

With the nut tightened only sumciently to prevent dislodgrnent, the plug portion of the end closure maybe easily slipped into the open end of the tubular handle, the inside of which has previously been made rough by shallow annular scores 30, as shown in Fig. 5. The conditions existing immediately after insertion of the plug are as shown in Fig. 6.

To fasten the end closure securely in place, it is necessary to turn the nut 28, thereby longitudinally compressing the plug portion I6 between 6 the washer-'2' and the head of the bolt 22, which will result in a'diametrical expansion of the plug portion. This expansion within the tube fills the annular scores 30 and holds the tube and end closure in permanent assembled relation, as shown in Fig. 7.

If a more permanent assembly of closure and handle is desired, cement may be applied to the plug portion or to the interior of the tube before the plug portion is inserted'in the tube. In the particular handle illustrated, the nut.

28 may conveniently be tightened by means of a socket wrench 32 introduced into the tube through an opening 3.4 in the front face of the handle. This opening is intended primarily to receive an electric switch 36, as shown in Fig. 1. If preferred, the nut may be tightened by means of a socket wrench provided with a universal joint, introduced through the lower end of the tube.

The plug or closure above described is of smooth and rounded contour, providing a pleasant appearance and comfortable feeling to' the hand of the operator and affording comp ete protection from contact with the sharp or rough edges or While the invention, 'as described and muse trated, is particularly adapted for use with tubes of elliptical section, it is obvious that the same principles may be employed for constructing end closures for tubes having other sections, within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A handle for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising a tubular member with an open end section, and a closure of resilient and expansible material for such end section having a portion to fit within the end section of the tubular member and provided with a bolt with the head end embedded in and secured to said portion and its threaded end projecting therefromand inwardly of the tubular member, said portionibeing provided with a recess surrounding the inner end of the bolt whereby 'a' portion of the bolt is free from engagement with the closure body, and a washer and nut on the projecting end of the bolt for longitudinally compressing said portion to cause it to expand radially and grip theinterior of the end section of the handle.

2. A handle for vacuum cleaners and the like fit within the end of the hand grip section and provided with means for longitudinally compressing such portion to produce lateral expansion and cause the same to grip the interior of the hand grip section, the opening in the main section of the tubular member being positioned topermit the passage of a tool therethrough to engage and actuate said compressing means.

3. A handle for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising a tubular member and a closure of resilient and expansible material for the end thereof, said closure comprising a rounded end portion having an uninterrupted surface and a shank portion of lesser diameter to form a shoulder therebetween, the shank portion being shaped to fit the interior of the end of the tubular member withthe shoulder engaging the end of said 5 member, said shank portion being provided with threaded means having one end embedded and held from rotation therein and the other end projecting. therefrom and inwardly of the tubular member, and compressing means rotatably 10 mounted on said projecting portion and independent of the tubular member for causing longitudinal compression and lateral expansion of such portion whereby said portion grips the interior of the end of the tubular member.

expansible material having a portion shaped to 20 fit within the end of the tubular member and provided with a threaded device embedded in and secured to the plug, and means cooperating with the threaded device and accessible from within the tubular member for longitudinally compress 2' ing the plug to produce lateral expansion and to cause the same to grip the interior of the tubular member, the opening in the tubular wall being positioned to permit the passage f a tool therethrough to engage and actuate means. l

5. A handlefor vacuum leaners and the like comprising a tubular member with an open end section and a closure therefor of resilient and expansible material, said closure having an outer 35 or exposed portion provided with a continuous surface and an inner portion to fit within the end section of the tubular'member with the-inner face of such portion out of'engagement with the tubular member, the closure being provided with 40 of said means adapted to be rotated relatively to said means and said closure for compressing the inner portion independently of the tubular mem- I ber to produce diametrical expansion to cause said portion to grip the interior of the section.

' 6. A handle for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising a tubular member the end'section of which is provided interiorly with a circumferential groove, and an end closure of resilient and expansible material comprising an outer or exposed portion having an uninterrupted end sur- 5 face and an inner portion to fit within the end section of the tubular member with the inner face of such portion out of engagement with the tubular member, and means embedded in and secured to said closure for compressing the inner section thereof independently of the tubular member to expand the same laterally to cause it to'enter the groove and hold the closure securely in position. 1

'7. An end closure for vacuum cleaner handles and the like comprising a body portion of resilient and expansible material and having a rounded head portion with a continuous surface and a shank portion projecting therefrom with a shoulder therebetween, a member having a head 7i?v embedded in and wholly enclosed by the body and secured thereto, andan end projecting from the end of the shank portion of the body, and means movably mounted on the said end for engaging directly with the end of the shank portion for 7 e compressing 0 compressing the shank portion longitudinally to cause it to expand laterally.

8. A handle for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising a tubular member the end section of which is elliptical in cross-section and tapering outwardly toward the end to form a hand grip,

and a closure for the open end of said section, the closure consisting o! resilient and expansible material, having an outer or exposed rounded end portion provided with a continuous surface; and an inner portion to fit within the end section of the'tubular member, and means carried by the interior of the end section.

9. A handle for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising a tubular member with an open end section and a closurethereior oi resilient and expansible-material, the closure havig an outer or exposed portion provided with a continuous suriace and an inner portion to ilt within the end portion of the tubular member with the inner face oi. such portion out of engagement with the tubular member, the closure being provided with means embedded therein and accessible only from the interior of the tubular member for compressing the inner portion of the closure to expand the same laterally to cause it to grip the GEORGE w. mom a. SALT. 

